Device for the cooling of fatty emulsions or the like



Aug. 7. 1928.

w. G. scHRODER DEVICE FOR THE COOLING OF FATTY EMULSIONS OR THE LIKE Filed Oct. 20, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 7, 1928.

W. G. SCIHRCDER DEVICE FOR THE COOLING OF FATTY EMULSIONS OR THE LIKE Filed 001;. 20, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 7, 1928. 1,679,685

W. G. SCHRUDER DEVICE FOR THE COOLING OF FATTY EMULSIONS OR THE LIKE Filed Oct. 20, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 l I I l Patented Aug. 7, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILHELM GOTTHILF SGHRbDER, OF ARFRADE, NEAR LUBEGK, GERMANY.

DEVICE FOR THE COOLING OF FATTY EMULSIONS OR THE LIKE.

Application filed October 20, 1926, Serial No. 143,005, and in Germany October 20, 1925.

cool-ed and means for the removal of the solidified material from the drum.

It has hitherto been usual to transfer the material removed from the cooling drum into special cooling chambers, and leave it there for a fairly lengthy period, because up to the present it has not been found possible to achieve thorough coollng or crystallization of the material in the cooling device itself.

The object of the invention is so to improve the action of the cooler that subsequent treatment of the material in special tempering chambers shall be superfluous and that with a smaller outlay of refrigerating energy an appreciably increased output shall be achieved.

For this purpose the cooling effect must be improved and increased, and in the first place the external cooling. The latter was formerly effected by means of cooling spirals -or pockets fitted in the cooling jacket, by

which only an indirect cooling by radiation could be brought about; further there was considerable condensation of water on the inner wall of the drum jacket, to the detriment of the material being treated. The

same defect also-occurred when water was used for direct cooling.

. An essential feature of the invention is that a cooling medium in the form of air is blown into the space between the cooler drum and the jacket, against the direction of rotation of the drum. Thus'direct contact cooling without damage to the material is achieved, which acts so intensively that the speed of rotation of the drum may be appreciably increased. A heat interchanger and a blower are suitably built along with the drum cooler, and the cooling air is circulated by the blower through the cooler and the radiator.

The internal cooling as well can be essentially improved. A known method is to insert into the hollow cooling drum a hollow body which nearly fills it, and to let the cooling fluid stream through the annular space between the drum wall and the hollow body, the inlet and outlet for the cooling fluid being usually arranged to pass through the hollow trunnions of the drum. Originally the cooling fluid was allowed to stream freely through this space, but the refrigerative energy of the cooling medium could not nearly be used up in this way. Attempts to force the cooling fluid through spiral or similar channels occasion considerable friction, producing heat and reducing the refrigerating efiect; above all, rendering the latter uneven.

According to the invention an intensive refrigerative eflect is obtained by providing the cooling drum jacket on the inside with a series of annular ribs, between which the drum-shaped inserted body fits, and which are so provided around their circumference with openings for the cooling medium flowing between the drum jacket and the inset body that the ribs following the openings are alternated with respect to one another.

The receiver must be adapted to the considerably greater cooling efiects attained with the new device. To this end the receiver is, according to the invention, provided with means to maintain a constantly circulating stream of emulsion therein. The emulsion must not come to rest for a moment in the receiver or in the piping connected to it, to obviate premature setting and adhesion to the walls. This can be achieved by various measures. In the first place, according to the invention, a pumping plant is provided, which forces the emulsion in at one end of the receiver, and a return pipe which connects the other end of the receiver to the suction side of the pump.

Secondly, a stirring gear can be fitted in the receiver itself, to maintain the emulsion in constant circulation between the cold drum jacket and the heated receiver walls.

Thus, by cooperation between the two circulatory movements of the emulsion in the receptacle, a spiral movement from one end of the vessel to the other and between the heated walls of the receptacle and the highly cooled drum surface is secured. This circulatory movement of the emulsion renders possible, by alternative regulation of the speed of rotation of the drum and of the speed of flow of the emulsion, regulation of the thickness of the layer of emulsion freezing solid upon the drum jacketsurface.

According to the invention, it is advanwhich In order to be able to disengage the receiver at any time, it is fitted with pairs of connecting rods by which, resting on the machine frame, it can be pressed elastically against the drum jacket surface.

Also, for the removal of the solidified material from the drum surface special means are provided according to the invention eel off the material in the form of a single band-shaped layer and convey it for further working. To this end the invention provides for a knife which, during the revolution of the drum, executes a sawing cross movement. For this purpose, the knife, which can also be divided int-o several sections, is rigidly fixed on a rod which is displaced in a to and fro sliding motion at right angles to the direction of rotation of the drum. The knife rod movement may suitably be taken from the drum rotation, by

the inter-position of a gear, in such a way that the to and fro movements of the knife are out of phase with the drum revolutions. This will prevent margarine remaining untouched between the individual cuts which the knife makes on the drum jacket.

By means of a system of levers, the. knife sections are so connected with a common lifting device, by means of which they are lowered against the drum and lifted from it together, that each individual knife section can be adjusted relatively to the'others.

According to the invention, the knives are sharpened in chisel form, and lie almost tangentially on the drum jacket, so that they automatically sharpen themselves by the sawing cross motion.

One method of constructing the object of the invention is shown in the drawing;

Fig. 1 shows the general arrangement in plan from above,

Fig. 2 shows the same arrangement in elevation and cross section,

Fig. 3 shows a section through the cooling jacket and the cooling drum.

In the form of construction shown, the whole arrangement rests on standards 1 and cross bearers 2, its main portion being the revolving cooling drum 3. This is for a large portion of its periphery encased by an insulating jacket 4-, in such a manner that between the revolving drum and the stationary jacket there remains free a hollow annular space 6. At the two end edges i and 4c of the jacket 62 there is a space between jacket and drum, largely filled by a pipe. The pipe 5, which can be made as a nozzle or lipped pipe, serves for the blowing in of cooling air, which flows through the annular chamber 6 in the opposite direction to the rotation of the drum, to be drawn away by the pipe 7, preferably constructed as a lipped pipe. Built in with the actual cooler is a heat exchanger 8, which may be a simple airchest the cooling body 9 of which can be ceiver, into the latter.

The cooling drum 3 consists of the drum I jacket 13, the hollow space of which is almost filled by a drum shaped hollow body 13'. The trunnions on the drum faces are drilled through and so form the inlet 14 and the outlet 15 for the brine used as a cooling medium.

Opposite the inlet 14 is a conical point 14' to distribute the cooling medium over the end surface of the internal hollow body 13. According to the invention the interior of the drum jacket 13 is provided with a series of consecutive annular ribs 16, 16 in which the hollow body 13 is fitted. Each of these annular ribs has, distributed on the drum surface openings 17, 17 so arranged thatin the case of consecutive ribs the openings 17 are always alternated with respect to the openings 17. The result is that the cooling medium, without having to make very considerable detours is yet continually diverted from the straight path and brought into intimate contact with the cooling surfaces The cooling jacket, as already indicated, does not entirely encase the drum, but allows it to show at one point, where the receiver device is arranged. This consists of a receptacle 21, arranged as follows: It is open on the one longitudinal side 21', in such a way that the drum surface here forms in a manner of speaking the receiver Wall. The remaining walls 22 are double, and can be heated by any desired heating medlum. By this means these walls can be maintained at the temperature at which the emulsion is supplied to the apparatus. The packing of the space between the receiver and the drum surfaceis effected underneath by a spring lignum vitae strip 23, and at the upper edge by a slide 2% adjustable to the thickness of the layer. The emulsion comes from a churn into an intermediate receiver 25, where it is kept constantly stirred by a suitable mechanism. From here it is drawn by a pump 26 and forced through a pipe 27, opening into one end of the charging re- 0n the opposite end wall a return pipe 28 is arranged/which opens into the intermediate receiver. When the pump is working, the emulsion is forced in at one end of the receiver, traverses the length of this, and passes through the return pipe 28 into the stirring receiver 25, where it mixes with the fresh emulsion. The emulsion is thus maintained in continual circulation. In order not to have to stop the pump should the receiver be temporarily stopped, a bye-pass pipe 20 is fitted, which when the cock is suitably regulated cuts out the receiver and maintains the circulation.

With a very thick emulsion the return pipe can be dispensed with and the pressure piping connected to both end walls. In this case the inflow is regulated by means of the adjustable pump. L

In the receiver 21 is a fluted roller traversing its entire length, which acts as stirring mechanism, and is so large that it almost fills the receiver. tion, it conveys the emulsion from the cold drum wall to the heated receiver walls 22 and circulates it back to the drum jacket, so

that only the layer of emulsion frozen direct on the drum jacket is solidified, this not being able to affect the remaining contents of the receiver. By the combination of the circuit through stirring receiver 25, pump 26, pre;:sure pipe 27, receiver 21 and return pipe 28 and the second circuit at right angles thereto along the cooled drum surface and the heated receiver wall 22, there results a combined spiral movement of the emulsion from the one end of the receiver to the other, which prevents the settlement of solidifying emulsion at any point other than the cooling drum, continually imparting new heat to the contents of the receiver by contact with the heated walls and by mixing with fresh emulion, thus maintaining it at the churn temperature. The heating medium flows, coming from the source of heat, in the circuit through the pipe 18, the hollow wall 22, pipe 19 and the heating jacket of the stirring receiver 25.

The charge receiver 21 is supported at the two ends on connecting rods 30 hinged on the supporting frame 1,2, and is pressed by two further spring connecting rods 31 against the drum surface. The connecting rods 31 are hooked into eyes 32, if it is desired to clean the receiver 21, the. connecting rods 31 are unhooked and the receiver tilted over into the dotted position (Fig. 2), which renders the interior of the receiver accessible.

The take-off mechanism comprises a rod 33 parallel to the drum spindle, axially di placeable on both sides in the machine frame, but not mounted so as to turn therein. On the drum spindle a chain wheel 34 is \mounted, which drives a chain Wheel 35 having its bearing in the frame at a speed differing from that of the first'chain wheel. The hub of the chain wheel 35 is in the form of a cam disc 36. It has a slot in the edge 37, which is guided in a path oblique to the drum axis as may be seen from the drawing. In this If the roller is set in mopath there engages a slipper 38, which is fixed to the rod 33. If the drum is now r0- tated, the cam path 37 of the chain wheel 35 pushes the rod 33 with a sawing movement to and fro, the stroke of which, owing to the different gear ratio bet-ween wheels 34 and 35, is out of phase'with the drum rotation, so that the to and fro stroke of the rod 33 does not finish simultaneously with the revolution of the drum. This serves a purpose more fully explained below.

Tubular knife-holders 39 are mounted on the rod 33, in a row. They can turn freely on the rod 33, but are stopped from moving along it by arresting rings 40, so that they partake of the sawing movement of the rod.

Each holder 39 carries a knife section 41, in such a way that the adjacent knife sections form a continuous knife extending over the whole drum Width. It cannot always be avoided that small spaces are left between the knife sections, which during the removal of the layer of margarine will leave narrow strips of this untouched. As, however, the to and fro stroke of the knife carriers does not take place in exact phase with the revolution of the drum, any strips left during one revolution of the drum will be taken off during the next revolution.

The following device serves to lower and raise the knives. Each knife-holder 39 carries a lever 42, with which a screwed bolt 43 is linked. All the screwed bolts are passed through a common cross-piece, e. g. a channel iron 44, in such a way that by the tightening up of the screws 45 each individual knife can be adjusted pivotally about the rod 33. The cross-piece 44 can be raised or lowered by means of a cam plate 46 and a lever, or a similar device. By raising the channel 44 the knives are lifted from the drum jacket. By depressing the channel the knives are brought against the drum jacket (Fig. 2).

The knives are chisel-edged and lie almost tangentially against the drum. By the sawing reciprocatory motion of the knives as the drum rotates, they are automatically kept sharp.

I claim 1. A device for the cooling of fatty emulsions or the like comprising a jacketed, revolving, externally and internally cooled drum, a receiver to apply the material to be cooled to the drum, means for the removal of the solidified material from the drum, means for blowing a cooling medium in the form of air into the space between the cooling drum and the jacket against the direction of rotation of the drum, means for maintaining in the receiver a constantly circulating flow of emulsion, and stirring mechanism in the receiver, which maintains the emulsion in constant circulation between the colfi drum surface and the heated receiver wa s.

charge receiver, a return pipe connecting the '2. A device for the cooling of fatty emulsions or the like comprising a jacketed, revolving, externally and internally cooled drum, a receiver to apply the material to be cooled to the drum, means for the removal of the solidified material from the drum, means for blowing a cooling medium in the form of air into the space between the cooling drum and the jacket against the direction of rotation of the drum, a pump which forces in the emulsion at one end of the charge receiver, a return pipe connecting the other end of the receiver with the suction side of the pump, and'stirring mechanism in the receiver, which maintains the emulsion in constant circulation between the cold drum-surface and the heated receiver walls.

3. A device for the cooling of fatty emulsions or the like comprising a jacketed, revolving, externally and internally cooled drum, a receiver to apply the material to be cooled to the drum, means for the removal of the solidified material from the drum, means for blowing a cooling medium in the form of air into the space between the cooling drum and the jacket against the direction of rotation of the drum, means for maintaining in the receiver a constantly circulating flow of emulsion, and stirring mechanism in the receiver, which maintains the emulsion in constant circulation between the cold drum surface and the heated receiver walls, said stirring mechanism consisting of a fluted roller that nearly fills the receiver.

4:. A device for the cooling of fatty emulsions or the like comprising a jacketed, revolving, externally and internally cooled drum, a receiver to apply the material to be cooled to the drum, means for the removal of the-solidified material from the drum, means for blowing a cooling medium in the form of air into the space between the cooling drum and the jacket against the direction of rotation of the drum, a pump which forces in the emulsion at one end of the other end of the receiver with the suction side of the pump, and stirring mechanism in the receiver, which maintains the emulsion in constant circulation between the cold drum surface and the heated receiver walls, said stirring mechanism consisting of a fluted roller that nearly fills the receiver.

5. A device for the cooling of fatty emulsions or the like comprising a jacketed, revolving, externally and internally cooled drum, a receiver to apply the material to be cooled to the drum, means for the removal of the solidified material from the drum,

means for blowing a cooling medium in the form of air into the space between the cooling drum and the jacket against the direction of rotation of the drum, means for maintaining in the receiver a constantly circulating flow of emulsion, stirring mechasions or the like comprising a jacketed, re-

volving, externally and internally cooled drum, a receiver to apply the material to be cooled to the drum, means for the removal of the solidified material from the drum, means for blowing a 'cooling medium in the form of air into the space between the cooling drum and the jacket against the direction of rotation of the drum, a pump which forces in the emulsion at one end of the charge receiver, a return pipe connecting the other end of the receiver with the suction side of the pump, stirring mechanism in the receiver, which maintains the emulsion in constant circulation between the cold drum surface and the heated receiver walls, said stirring mechanism consisting of a fluted roller that nearly fills the receiver, and means for controlling the thickness of the layer speeds of revolution of the stirring mechanism and the cooling drum.

7. A device for the cooling of fatty emulsions or the like comprising a jacketed, re-

volving, externally and internally cooled drum, a receiver to apply the material to be cooled to the drum, means for the removal of the solidified material from the drum, means for blowing acooling medium in the form of air into the space between the cooling drum and the jacket against the direction of rotation of the drum, means for maintaining in the receiver a constantly circulating flow of emulsion, a pair of connecting rods supporting the charge receiver on the base, and a pair of spring connecting rods detachably connected to the base and elastically pressing the charge receiver against the drum surface.

8. A device for the cooling of fatty emulsions or the like comprising a jacketed, revolving, externally and internally cooled drum, a receiver to apply the material to be cooled to the drum, means for the removal of the solidified material from the drum, means for blowing a cooling medium in the form of air into the space between the cooling drum and the jacket against the direction of rotation of the drum, a pump which forces in the emulsion at one end of the charge receiver, a return pipe connecting the other end of the receiver with the suction side of the pump, stirring mechanism in the receiver, which maintains the emulsion in constant circulation between the cold drum surface and the heated receiver walls, said taken off by alteration of the relative stirring mechanism consisting of a. fluted roller that nearly fills the receiver, means for controlling the thickness of the layer taken off by alteration of the elative speeds of revolution of the stirring mechanism and the cooling drum, a pair of connecting rods supporting the charge receiver on the base, and a pair of spring connecting rods detachably connected to the base and elastically pressing the charge receive-r against the drum surface.

9. A device for the cooling of fatty emulsions or the like comprising a jacketed, revolving, externally and internally cooled drum, a receiver to apply the material to be cooled to the drum, means for the removal of the solidified material from the drum,

means for blowing a cooling medium in the form of air into the space between the cooling drum and the jacket against the direction of rotation of the drum, a knife serving for the removal of a cooled layer of margarine from the surface of the drum jacket, and means for causing said knife to execute a reciprocating movement parallel to the axis of the drum during the rotation of the drum, said means comprising a rod capable of being displaced parallel to the drum shaft, the knife being so mounted on said rod, as not to be slidable thereon, a disc turned by the drum movement, a cam path on said disc, and a slipper adapted to move indsaid cam path and to engage with said ro 10. A device for the cooling of fatty emulsions or the like comprising a jacketed, revolving, externally/ and internally cooled drum, a receiver to apply the material to be cooled to the drum, means for the removal of the solidified material from the drum, means for blowing a cooling medium in the form of air into the space between the cooling drum and the jacket against the direction of rotation of the drum, a knife serving for the removal of a cooled layer of margarine from the surface of the drum jacket, and means for causing said knife to execute a reciprocating movement parallel to the axis of the drum during the rotation of the drum, said means comprising gearing, for example a chain drive, between the drum and the knife reciprocating means, in such a way that the to-and-fro strokes of the knife are out of phase with the revolutions of the drum.

11. A device for the cooling of fatty emulsions or the like comprising a jacketed, revolving, externally and internally cooled drum, a receiver to apply the material to be cooled to the drum, means for the removal of the solidified material from the drum, means for blowing a cooling medium in the form of air into the space between the cooling drum and the jacket against the direction of rotation of the drum, a knife serving for the removal of a cooled layer of margarine from the surface of the drum jacket, means for causing said knife to execute a reciprocating movement parallel to the axis of the drum during the rotation of the drum, said means comprising a rod capable of being displaced parallel to the drum shaft, the knife being so mounted on said rod, as not to be slidable thereon, a disc turned by the drum movement, a cam path on said disc, a slipper adapted to move in said cam path and to engage with said rod, and gearing, for example a chain drive, between the drum and the disc, in such a way that the toand-fro strokes of the knife are out of phase with the revolutions of the drum.

12. A device for the cooling of fatty emulsions or the like comprising a jacketed, revolving, externally and internally cooled drum. a receiver to apply the material to be cooled to the drum, means for the removal of the solidified material from the drum, means for blowing a cooling medium in the form of air into the space between the cooling drum and the jacket against the direction of rotation of the drum, a knife divided into sections for the removal of a cooled layer of margarine from the surface of the drum jacket, a knife holder for each of said sections, means for causing said knife to execute a reciprocating movement parallel to the axis of the drum during the rotation of the drum, said means comprising a rod capable of being displaced parallel to the drum shaft, each of said knife holders being mounted rotatably but not slidably upon said rod, a disc turned by the drum movement, a cam path on said disc, and a slipper adapted to move in said cam path and to engage with said rod.

13. A device for the cooling of fatty emulsions or the like comprising a jacketed, revolving, externally and internally cooled drum, a receiver to apply the material to be cooled to the drum, means for the removal of the solidified material from the drum, means for blowing a cooling medium in the form of air into the space between the cooling drum and the jacket against the direc tion of rotation of the drum, a knife divided into sections for the removal of a cooled layer of margarine from the surface of the drum jacket, a knife holder for each of said sections, means for causing said knife to execute a reciprocating movement parallel to the axis of the drum during the rotation of the drum, said means comprising, a rod capable of vbeing displaced parallel to the drum shaft, each of said knife holders being mounted rotatably but not slidably upon said rod, a disc turned by the drum movement, a cam path on said disc, a slipper adapted to move in said cam path and to enholders to said common cross piece, and means such as a cam plate for raising an lowering said link and lever connection for putting the knife sections into and out of operation.

14. A device for the cooling of fatty emulsions or the like comprising a jacketed, revolving, externally and internally cooled drum, a receiver to apply the material to be cooled to the drum, means for the removal of the solidified material from the drum, means for blowing a cooling medium in the form of air into the space between the cooling drum and the jacket a ainst the direction of rotation of the dru a chisel-edged knife serving for the removal of a. cooled layer of margarine from the surface of the drum jacket, and means for causing said knife to execute a reciprocating movement parallel to the axis of the drum during the rotation of the drum, said means comprising a rod capable of being displaced parallel to the drum shaft, the knife being so mounted on said rod, as not to be slidable thereon, a disc turned by the drum movement, a cam path on said disc, and a slipper adapted to move in said cam path and to engage with said rod, the knife lying almost tangential- ,ly against the drum Wall, so that it can sharpen itself automatically by its reciprocating motion.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this application. WHLHELM GOTTHILF SCHRODER. 

